ALEXEI SOKOLSKY
YOUR
FIRST
MOVE
CHESS FOR BEGINNERS
ALEXEI SOKOLSKY
YOUR
FIRST
MOVE
CHESS FOR BEGINNERS
Raduga Publishers Moscow
Translated from the Russian by Arthur Krivovyaz Yuri Shteinsapir assisted in preparing the original text
Edited by Paul Kotsubinsky Designed by Vladimir Noskov
AjieKceii CoKOJibCKHii BA1U riEPBHft XOfl
Ha amnuucKOM n3biKe
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank all those readers who sent in their comments and suggestions for our previous editions of this book, in particular Elmer D. Sangalang of Manila, Philippines, and Rev. A.H. Genower of Tenterden, Great Britain.
We are always glad to receive readers' opinions of our books, as well as any suggestions for our future publications.
Please send all your comments to Raduga Publish-ers, 17, Zubovsky Boulevard, Moscow, USSR.
First printing by Progress Publishers 1981 Second printing by Raduga Publishers 1984 Reprinted with correction 1987
©H3«aTejibcTBo "<I>H3Kyni>Typa h cnopT", 1977 ©H3naTenbcTBo "Ilporpecc" (c H3MeHeHHHMM), 1981 ©H3AaTentcTBo "Pajiyra", 1987
English translation from the revised Russian text ©Progress Publishers 1981
©Raduga Publishers 1987
Primed in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
CONTENTS
I. RULES OF THE GAME . 7
The Board and Notation 7
Initial Position 9 Moves • • 11
Capture 16 Pawns 17 Notation 21 The King's Special Features. Check 24
Checkmate 28 Castling 29 Stalemate 31 Other Kinds of Draws. Perpetual Check 33
The Method of Notation 35 Comparative Value of the Pieces 38
Additional Rules 40 n. THE SIMPLEST ENDINGS 42
Three Stages in Chess Play 42 Mating a Lone King 43
Queen Mates 43 Mate by Two Rooks 45 Mate by Rook 46 Mate by TvJo Bishops 48 Mate by Bishop and Knight 50 Mate by Two Knights 51 King and Bishop (or Knight) Versus King 52
King and Pawn Versus King 52
Conclusions 58 A Remote Passed Pawn 59
Positional Advantage 60 3
III. SOME BASIC CONCEPTS 62 The Pin 62 Discovered Attack 65 Discovered Check 67 Double Check 68 Variation. Combination 70 IV. HOW TO START A GAME 73
The Centre 73 Fast Development of Pieces 76
Setting Up a Good Pawn Structure 82
Mistakes in the Opening 83 V. SHORT GAMES AND TRAPS 88
The Perfidious Pin 88 Attention: Square f7! 89 An Ill-Starred Queen 90 A Sudden Encirclement 91 A Mistaken Raid 91 The Exultant Knight 93 Opening Finesse 93 A Poisoned Pawn 95 A Knight Better Than a Queen 96
"Modernised Legal Mate" 97
Pseudosacrifice 98 The Queen as a Spectator 99
Roaming King 101 Unpleasant Surprise 102 VI. MIDDLE GAME 105 Typical Combinations 105 Mate on the First Two and Last Two Ranks 106
Smothered Mate 110 The "Wheel" H I Trapping Combinations 112 Diversion 114 Blocking Combinations 116 Obstruction 118 Combinations to Destroy Defence Forces 119
Square Clearance Combinations 121 Line Clearance Combinations 122 Pawn Promotion Combinations 123
Combinations for a Draw 125 Several Ideas Combined 129 Attacking the King in the Centre 130 Attacks Against the Castling Side 134
Mate by a Major Piece Supported by a Pawn or Piece . . . 134
Combinations for Destruction 138 Sacrifice on h7 (h2) 138 Sacrifice of Two Bishops 143 The Attack After Castling on Opposite Sides 145
Elements of Positional Play 146 The Battle for an Open File and the Seventh Rank . . . . 147
Pressure Along a Semi-Open File 149
Distribution of Pawns 150 Weak Square 153 " G o o d " and " B a d " Bishops 156
How to Exploit Material Advantage 158
VII. ENDGAME 160 King and Pawn Versus King and Pawn 160
Endings with Several Pawns 163 King and Queen Versus King and Pawn 167
Queen and Pawn Versus Queen 171 Queen Endings with Many Pawns 173 Rook and Pawn Versus Rook 175 Rook and T w o Pawns Versus R o o k 179 Rook Endings with Many Pawns 180
Queen Versus R o o k . 183 R o o k Versus Minor Piecc 184 Bishop and Pawn Versus Bishop 186 Endings with Bishops and Several Pawns 187 Endings with White and Black Bishops 189 King, Bishop and R-Pawn Versus King 190
Knight Endings 191 Intricate Endings 193 VIII. CHESS COMPOSITION 195
Problems 196 Endgame Studies 200 IX. THE OPENING 206
Open Openings 207 Philidor's Defence 207
Scotch Game 209 Giuoco Piano 211 The Greco Analysis . . 212
Two Knights'Defence 216 RuyLopfe 219 King's Gambit 232 Semi-Open Openings 237 French Defence 237 Sicilian Defence 241 Caro-Kann Defence 248 Alekhine Defence 252 Ufimtsev Defence 255 Closed Openings 256 Queen's Gambit 256 Veresov Opening 261 Group of Indian Defences 262
Dutch Defence 269 English Opening 269 Reti Opening 272 Sokolsky Opening 272 X. CHESS: PAST AND PRESENT 276
I. RULES OF THE GAME
THE BOARD AND NOTATION
Chess is a game for two players. One uses
chessmen of a light colour while those of the
other are usually black. The board is a square divided into 64 smaller alternating white and black squares.
Diagram 1
There exists a system of notation describing the situation on the board and the movement of pieces and Pawns.
In this system the vertical rows of squares called files are lettered from left to right: a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h. The horizontal rows of squares are called ranks and are numbered from
1 to 8 (1st rank, 2nd rank, etc.). Each square has its own letter and number (for instance, th6 e4 square).
The names of the squares are shown in Dia-gram 2. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The slanting rows of squares, called diagonals, are designated by their end squares, for instance: the a2-g8 and h4-d8 diagonal. Whereas the colours of the squares on the ranks and files alternate, the diagonals consist of squares of the same colour, either white or black. For example, the bl-h7 diagonal is white and the cl-a3 is black. The two diagonals consisting of eight squares (al-h8 and hl-a8) are called long
di-agonals. Exercise.
For the purpose of this exercise the squares in Diagram 3 have been numbered at random. Give their correct names, guiding yourself by the letters and numbers on the sides. Start at square 1 (which is really hi) and go all the way up to 64 (which is really h2). After a while try giving the correct names without referring to the
let-Diagram 2
9 B N
b= •it' d= W is f|5' ' ' ' % hs ^toa* ra da ea ta' qa ^ha' iv&i b3 ' cS' ,J3 e3 (3 q^'f h3
«= ts ' ea fife, gs thik bl fcl^ dl 11 f hi
ML
ters and numbers on the sides, in other words, by covering up with slips of paper. Write the answers as you go along, and when you finish check them with the solution*.
Diagram 3 8
7
65
4
3
2 1 7 53 5 S1 £34> 5 ' / 37 33 35 / o ^ 31 1 55 45 12 33 "i&oi 59 ^S^ ^aB?; 57 .3D 3 8 id 11 4a ^stjaf (SO 39 ^Cr 47 '14 31 ' 3 / 19 • / " : 27 / 4 1 29 43 ^64^ ?40 81 2S' 17 '4S 83 /30 1 ,/x---^. X... ^U, INITIAL POSITION At the start of the game each side has:The pieces and Pawns as a whole are called
material. When the game starts the two sides
* See p. 293 for the solutions of this and other
ex-ercises.
fa'!
a King a Queen two Rooks two Bishops two Knights eight Pawnshave material equality. The aim of the game is to capture the opposing King. This is called to checkmate the King.
The Queen and Rooks are major pieces. The Bishops and Knights are minor pieces.
The chessmen are designated by the following contractions: King—K; Queen—Q; Rook—R; Bishop—B; Knight—N; Pawn—P.
In game notations the abbreviation " P " which stands for a Pawn is omitted.
The distribution of the chessmen on the board at any given time is called a position or
situa-tion. Diagram 4 shows the board at the start
of play, i.e., the initial position.
Diagram 4
a b c d e f g h .
White occupies the first and second ranks, Black the seventh and eighth. The board should be placed in such a way that there is a white corner square on each player's right-hand side (hi for White and a8 for Black). In the initial position the White Queen is on a white square (dl) and Black's Queen on a black square (d8). The left half of the chess board (from a to d) is called the Q-side and the right half (from e to h) the K-side.
The four midboard squares (d4, d5, e4, e5) are called the centre. This is a very important section of the board. We will talk about its significance later on.
Any shift of a piece or Pawn on the board is called a move. The players take turns in making moves, with White always starting the game.
A player cannot move a piece or Pawn to a square occupied by one of his own pieces or Pawns. The Knight is the only piece that can leap over a square occupied by another piece or Pawn.
The Rook can move any number of squares along a file or rank.
In Diagram 5 White's Rook can move to any square on the e-file or on the 4th rank, that is, to any one of 14 squares.
Exercises.
1. Name the squares in Diagram 5 to which Black's Rook can move.
MOVES
Diagram 5
a b c d e f g h
2. Name the squares of the f-file to which Black's Rook cannot move in this position.
The Bishop can move any number of squares along a diagonal. 8
7
6
5
3
2
1In Diagram 6 White's Bishop on d4 can move to any square along the al-h8 and gl-a7 diag-onals, i.e., a total of 13 squares. White's other Bishop has only 7 squares at its disposal.
Looking at the initial position (Diagram 4) we see that each player has one Bishop that can move only on the white squares and one that moves only on the black squares. They are often spoken of as a white-squared or black-squared Bishop.
Exercises.
1. To which squares in Diagram 6 can Black's black-squared Bishop move?
2. Which squares on the hl-a8 diagonal are inaccessible to Black's white-squared Bishop?
Diagram 6
a b c d e f o h
The Queen can move any number of squares along a file, rank or diagonal as indicated on Diagram 7.
Diagram 7
>LJ. I * z . - « - . —
a b c d e f g h
The Queen thus combines the merits of the Rook and Bishop and, besides, can move along both the white and black diagonal. The dia-gram shows all the 27 squares the Queen stand-ing on d4, in the centre of the board, can reach. This tremendous mobility makes the Queen un-questionably the strongest piece.
Exercises.
1. Which squares are accessible to Black's Queen?
2. Can it move to h8?
The Knight moves in a very distinctive way (see Diagram 8).
From e5, a black square, White's Knight can move to any of the eight white squares marked by dots. The Knight moves from the square on which it stands over a neighbouring square on the file or rank onto a square that is opposite
Diagram 91 8
7
6
5
3
2 1 a b c d e f g hTin colour to its initial position. The diagram shows how the Knight jumps over the d5-square to c6 or c4; over the e6 square to d7 or f7; over the f5 square to g6 or g4, and over e4 to d3 or f3. It may be said that the Knight moves one square vertically or horizontally and one more square along the diagonal. The Knight always moves from a white square to a black square, or vice versa. It is the only piece that can leap over its own or opposing chessmen, which remain in their places (see Diagram 9).
Though White's Knight is surrounded on all sides by his own and black pieces and Pawns, this does not prevent him from reaching any of the marked squares.
Exercises (see Diagram 9).
1. To which squares can Black's Knight move? 2. Take another look at Diagram 3 and deter-mine the method used in numbering its squares.
The Knight is distinguished by its exceptional maneuvrability.
Diagram 91
8
7
65
4
3
2 1A well-known chess riddle is to lay out a route across the board in such a way that a Knight lands on each square only once. Mathematicians have established that more than 30 million such routes are possible. Although some great minds have worked on this problem over the centuries, so far no one has determined the exact total number.
The King can move only one square in any di-rection on a rank, file or diagonal.
The squares to which the Kings in Diagrams 10 and 11 can move are indicated by dots.
Diagram 10 Diagram 11
On the edge of the board the King's mobility decreases: he has at his disposal only 5 squares. When the King stands in a corner he can move to only one of 3 squares.
Exercise.
Name the squares Black's King can move to in Diagrams 10 and 1 1 .
CAPTURE
A piece making a move can take (capture) an enemy piece or Pawn standing in its way. That piece or Pawn is removed from the board and its square is occupied by the piece making the move. The move is then considered finished. A piece can only capture a piece or Pawn stand-ing on a square to which it can move.
Diagram 12
Before the capture
White's move. His Queen simultaneously threatens Black's Rook and Bishop, and can capture one of them. Since the Rook is a more
valuable piece than the Bishop, White takes the Rook on d4. The following position arises:
Diagram 13
After the capture
A player is not obliged to make a capture. PAWNS
To single out any particular Pawn we name the file or square on which it stands: the f-Pawn the g4-Pawn, etc. The Pawns are also named according to the pieces in front of which they stand in the initial position: the Q-Pawn (d-Pawn), K-Pawn (e-Pawn), R-Pawn (a- or h-Pawn), N-Pawn (b or g), B-Pawn (c or f).
Unlike the pieces, which can move in any di-rection, the Pawn goes only one square ahead on its file at a time. From its initial position, i.e., a White Pawn from the second rank and a Black Pawn from the seventh rank, it can move
two squares ahead at once.
A Pawn moves only along a file, but it cap-tures obliquely, only one square along a diagonal, to the left or right.
In the diagrams the White Pawns move only upwards, and the Black Pawns downwards.
Diagram 91
Let us examine the Pawn moves that can be made in the position in Diagram 14. White's a4-Pawn can move only one square: 1. a5. Since White's c-Pawn is on its initial position, both 1. c3 and 1. c 4 + are possible. White's d4-Pawn does not threaten Black's King but it can capture either one of two Black pieces: 1. dxc5 or 1. dxe5. Black can make the fol-lowing Pawn moves: 1. ... a5; 1. ...axb5; 1. ... e6; 1. ... g2.
Besides its usual capture a Pawn can take an enemy Pawn (but not a piece) en passant (in passing).
Diagram 15
The situation in Diagram 15 arose after the moves 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5. 3. e5 f5. Now White has the right to take Black's f-Pawn en
pas-sant of its e-Pawn. To do this White removes
the Black Pawn from the board and places its e-Pawn on f6. In notation: 4. exf6.
The same situation could arise if Black played 3. ... f6 instead of 3. ... f5. Hence an en passant capture is the term used for taking a Pawn that makes from its initial position a move of two squares and finds itself horizontally next to an enemy Pawn. If, in the situation in Diagram 15, White does not play 4. exf6, he loses the right to capture the Pawn. Only a White Pawn on the fifth rank and a Black Pawn on the fourth rank can take an opposing Pawn en passant.
Exercise (see Diagram 17).
Is an en passant capture possible in the case
Diagram 16
of the following moves? a) 1. d4; 1. ... d5 b) 1. Bd4; 1. ... Nd5 c) 1. £4 + ?
Diagram 17
The Pawn's limited mobility and striking pow-er (R-Pawns keep one square undpow-er fire and the others only two squares) make it much weak-er than any piece. Howevweak-er, the Pawn has a feature that considerably enhances its value: the right to be transformed into any piece except the King. When a player moves a Pawn to the last rank (the eighth rank for White and the first rank for Black) he can transform it at once into a piece (a Queen, Bishop, Rook or Knight) of the same colour irrespective of whether he still has pieces of this type. This is called Pawn
promotion or queening.
Thanks to Pawn promotion a player may have more pieces of the same kind than in the initial position, several Queens, for instance. Most fre-quently the Pawn is transformed into the most powerful piece, the Queen.
When the Pawn reaches the last rank, after the usual notation the abbreviated name of the new piece is given. In the position in Diagram 18 the notation 1. d8Q means that White advanced his d-Pawn to d8 and transformed it into a Queen. This Pawn can also queen by taking the Bishop on e8: dxe8Q. White can transform its Pawn
Diagram 91
us
into any other piece. In this case, for instance, it would be advantageous for White to take the Bishop and promote the Pawn to a Knight, which could immediately attack Black's King and Queen at the same time (1. dxe8N + ).
NOTATION
Diagram, 19
In this situation White moves his Knight from e3 to c4, attacking simultaneously Black's Rook on b6 and Pawn on d6. Such an attack is
called also a double blow. Black moves the Rook to b8, and White wins the Pawn on d6.
Now a new danger hangs over Black: White threatens the Bishop on c6.
Diagram 20
To avoid this threat Black moves the Bishop to d7.
Let us write down all these moves with the aid of notation.
White's first move is l.Nc4, in which 1 is the number of the move, N is the abbreviated name of the piece making the move, and c4 is the name of the square to which it goes.
White's move and Black's reply are designat-ed by the same number. In taking a piece the sign x (multiplication sign) is used, for instance 2. Nxd6. Now we can put down all the moves in the above example: 1. Nc4 Rb8 2. Nxd6 Bd7.
Three dots are used if it is not necessary to in-clude White's or Black's move in the notation.
For instance, in the following position Black is to move.
Diagram 91
Black's Bishop delivers a double blow, win-ning a piece. Here is the notation: 1. ... Bd5.
Diagram 22
Exercise.
White's move: list all the captures he can make in this situation.
Exercise (see Diagram 23).
Black to move: list the double attacks he can make in this position.
Diagram 91
THE KING'S SPECIAL FEATURES.
CHECK
The King is the only piece that has no right to move to a square attacked by an enemy piece or Pawn, and it cannot be placed under attack.
Diagram 24
Here White, having the move, can play 1. Bxb2 or 1. K x b l , but 1. Kxb2 is impossible since the King would come under attack from Black's
Bishop on c3. Neither is 1. Kxc3 possible since the c3 square is under the control of Black's Knight on b l . The b3, d3, d2 and dl square are tabu for the King, all of them being under Black's control.
Another special feature of the King is that in the case of an attack he has to be defended imme-diately. An attack against the King is called
check, designated in notation by a plus sign ( + ) . In Diagram 25 White has just played 1. N e 5 + , attacking simultaneously Black's King and Rook.
Diagram 25
According to the rules of the game the King cannot be left under attack or, in chess terminol-ogy, under check. No matter how highly Black values his Rook, he is compelled to leave it to its fate, because the King's safety comes first. After 1. ... Kf6 (Black takes the King away from attack) White plays 2. N x d 7 + and soon wins. There are three methods of defence against check, and all are possible in the situation in Diagram 26:
1) to capture the piece (Pawn) declaring check
(1. ... Qxd7);
Diagram 91
2) to move away from check, i.e., to shift the King to a square not attacked by the opponent, for instance 1. ... Kg8;
3) to cover oneself from check, i.e., to place one's own piece or Pawn between the King and the piece declaring check: (1. ... Re7). However, it is impossible to cover the King from a check declared by a Knight.
Diagram 27
In Diagram 27 Black's Knight has declared check 1. ... Nc5 + . White has only two methods of defence: to move the King to another square,
for instance, 2. Ka2 (b2, c2, c3, c4, b4), or to capture the Knight (2. Bxc5) since the King cannot be placed on a square under attack or left under check. The King is the only piece that cannot be captured. In the course of a game all the pieces and Pawns can be taken but the Kings remain on the board to the very end of the game.
Finally, as distinguished from all the other pie-ces and Pawns, a King cannot check the opposing King. Indeed, it cannot attack the opposing King because it could do this only from a square ad-joining the former. That square is under attack by the opposing King and is forbidden by the rules. The Kings must always be separated by at least one square.
Diagram 28 Diagram 29
is
&
An impossible Fully possible
situation situations
Exercise.
In Diagram 30 discover and write down how, with the aid of a double attack and having the move:
Diagram 91
a) White wins the Queen b) Black takes the Knight.
CHECKMATE
Up to now we have been looking at examples of defence against declared check. Checkmate or simply mate is the term used for a check against which there is no defence. With the declaration of mate the aim of the game is achieved. The side that declares mate wins the game.
In most cases the game does not reach the stage of mate. One of the opponents,- seeing that
mate is inevitable, resigns, admitting his de-feat.
In notation the sign for checkmate i s + + . Diagram 31 shows a typical example of a mate by the Queen under the defence of the King. Black's King cannot capture the Queen that declared mate since it would fall under the at-tack of White's King. At the same time the White Queen on the d7 square deprives the op-posing King of all the squares for retreat (c8, c7, e7, e8).
Diagram 32
In Diagram 32 we see a typical example of mate on the last rank. Black has nothing with which to take the Rook or hide from its lethal check, and his own Pawns hamper the King from getting away.
Exercise (see Diagram 33).
Mate in one move: a) with White to move b) with Black to move.
CASTLING
A simultaneous move of the King and Rook is permitted once in the course of play.
Diagram 91
It is considered one move and is called
castl-ing. Here is how it is done: the King moves
two squares in the direction of the Rook, after which the Rook passes above the King and oc-cupies the square adjoining the King. Castling on the side of the Queen's flank is called castling
long, and on the side of the King's flank castling
short.
Diagram 34
In Diagram 34 White castled long and Black castled short.
Castling is impossible in the following cases: a) the King or the Rook have already made a
move; b) the King is under check; c) as a result of castling the King comes under check; d) a square the King has to pass across is under check by an enemy piece; e) other pieces stand between the King and Rook on the side the King has to be placed.
Thus, in Diagram 35 White can castle only short, and Black only long.
Diagram 35
Castling enables a player to transfer the King away to a safe place quickly and bring the Rook into play. This is a very important and necessary move for mobilising one's forces.
Castling short is designated in notation as 0-0, and castling long as 0-0-0.
STALEMATE
A situation in which the King of the side having the move is not under check but has no place to go, and none of that side's other pieces or Pawns can move, is called stalemate. A game in which stalemate occurs is considered a draw. If it is White's move in Diagram 36 he plays i . R x f 8 + - f . However, if Black is to move then, despite White's huge advantage, the game ends
Diagram 91
in a draw, since Black is stalemated. Black's Pawns are blocked, the King cannot move be-cause all the possible squares are under the con-trol of White's Queen, and the Knight is prevent-ed from moving by White's Rook on e8 (the Knight move would place Black's King in check).
In situations with a small number of pieces the side that has the advantage and is playing for a win has to take care that the opponent should not be stalemated. The weaker side is frequently very resourceful in seeking ways and means of sacrificing its pieces and forcing a stalemate.
In Diagram 37, if it were Black's move he would take the Bishop and, with an extra Queen, easily win. But it is White's move, and with it comes the first surprise: 1. B c 2 + , a double attack. White sacrifices the Bishop. Black can-not reject the sacrifice because he cancan-not win without his Queen. Hence, 1. ... Qxc2 is oblig-atory. Then there follows 2. N e 3 + , another sacrifice and a double attack. Once more the Queen has to be saved, btit after 2. ... Bxe3 White's King has nowhere to move. This is stalemate.
Diagram 38
Exercise.
Discover and write down how: a) White moves and wins b) Black moves and draws.
OTHER KINDS OF DRAWS. PERPETUAL CHECK A game is also drawn if:
a) neither side has sufficient material advan-tage to win (one of the players has only a King
i n - 9 1 0
left while his opponent has only a King, or a King plus a Bishop or Knight, or each of them has only a King plus a Bishop or Knight, or both have a King plus a Bishop, both Bishops moving along squares of the same colour);
b) a player declares that in the last 50 (or more) moves there haven't been any captures and not a single Pawn has moved. He demands that the game be stopped and called a draw (the 50-rnove rule);
c) the same position occurs on the board three or more times in a row, with the first of the two moves made each time by the same player (re-currence). In this case the player after whose move the same position arises for the third (or more) time has the right, without making a move on the board, to declare to the umpire that the game should be stopped and declared a draw.
Frequently the three-time repetition of a po-sition arises as a result of perpetual check, i. e., a series of checks following one aftfer another from which the opposing King cannot escape.
Diagram 39
After the situation shown in Diagram 39 there followed 1. ... Kg8 2. Q g 5 + Kh8 3. Q f 6 + (the
position on the board is repeated) Kg8 4. Q g 5 + Kh8, and now White, without making his move, asked the umpire to declare the game a draw following the third recurrence of the position after 4. Qf6 + .
Diagram 40
2 g
In the position in Diagram 40 Black declares perpetual check, continuously attacking White's King with the Rook from the al and a2 squares. White has at his disposal many more squares than in the preceding example but he has no-where to hide from the checks. A draw is un-avoidable.
In practice, the two players agree to a draw without appealing to the umpire to establish the three-time recurrence of a position or to apply the 50-move rule. *
THE METHOD OF NOTATION
A system of naming the squares and moves of pieces which has been described so far is known as a system of notation. In putting down a cap-ture by a Pawn all that is indicated is to what file the Pawn passes. In positions where two
35 1*
pieces of the same kind can go to the given square additional information is provided. For instance, 12. Rhel means that of the two Rooks that could have occupied the el square, it is the Rook on 111 (and not the Rook on dl) that did it. For greater precision the number of the rank is also employed. For instance, if White's Knights stand on e2 and e4, then the move N4g3 should be written.
Further on the main moves are given in full notation, and annotation (comments) in short.
The following signs are used in annotation for economy of space:
! a good move
!! a very good (beautiful) move ? a weak move
?? a bad mistake
?! a risky, questionable move a> any move
= even position
± White's position is superior
± White's position is somewhat preferable T Black's position is better
^ Black's position is somewhat preferable. Up to now we have written down the moves linearly. But there is also a columnar form. As an example, here is one of the shortest games ever played in a tournament. GIBAUD LAZARD Paris, 1924 1. d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2. Nbl-d2 e7-e5 3. d4xe5 Nf6-g4 4. h2-h3??
Clearly White lacks thoughtfulness and delibe-ration. He impatiently wants to drive away the
approaching Knight, though actually it is not a danger to him. He could have played 4. Ngf3 Bc5 5. e3 Nc6 6. Nc4 b5 7. Nd2 a6 8. a 4 ± .
5. ... N g 4 - e 3 !
White resigns because the loss of the Queen is inevitable. In the case of 5. fxe3 there follows 5. ... Q h 4 + 6. g3 Q x g 3 + + . This miniature game was played in the championship of Paris.
For the sake of comparison here is that game in the condensed style of notation:
A. G i b a u d - F . Lazard (Paris, 1924) 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nd2 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 4. h3?? Ne3! White re-signs.
In recording the position on the board we des-ignate the location of the chessmen in the fol-lowing order: King, Queen, Rooks, Bishops, Knights and then Pawns. For example, the posi-tion in Diagram 15 appears thus. White: K e l , Q d l , R a l , R h l , Bel, B f l , N b l , N g l . Pawns a2,b2, c2, d4, e5, f2, g2, h2 (16); Black: Ke8, Qd8, Ra8, Rh8, Bc8, Bf8, Nb8, Ng8, Pawns a7, b7, c7, d5, e6, f5, g7, h7 (16).
The position is described from left to right, from the Q-side to the King's flank. First the location of White's black-squared Bishop (cl) is given, then that of the white-squared (fl); the first to be put down is the a2 Pawn, and the last the h2 Pawn. The total number of pieces and Pawns*is given in brackets.
Exercises (see Diagram 41).
1. Record this position.
2. Find the way to mate in two moves: a) with White to move
b) with Black to move
(in both cases mate is declared on the last rank).
Diagram 91
COMPARATIVE VALUE OF THE PIECES
In playing the game, especially in exchanges, it is necessary to know the value of the pieces and Pawns.
The Queen, as mentioned above, is the most powerful piece. It is approximately equal to two Rooks, or to a Rook, a minor piece and two Pawns. However, a Rook and two minor pieces are stronger than the Queen.
The Rook is the second strongest piece. It is more valuable than a Bishop or Knight. The exchange of a light piece for a Rook has a spe-cial term: winning the Exchange, or for the other side losing the Exchange. Usually the Exchange is worth two Pawns, i.e., the Bishop or Knight plus two Pawns are approximately of the same value as the Rook. Depending on the position even one Pawn can compensate the loss of the Exchange.
The Rook is weaker than two minor pieces, which may be equal in strength to a Rook and two Pawns.
The Knight is of the same strength as the Bishop. A minor piece is equal to three Pawns.
The Pawn is the weakest unit of the chess troops, but it should not be scorned. The impor-tance of Pawns increases at the end of play, when there is not enough strength on the board to declare mate, and victory is achieved by the side which manages to promote a Pawn to a Queen.
The King is the most valuable piece since the outcome of the game depends on his fate. It is worthwhile sacrificing pieces and Pawns in order to achieve mate. However, the King differs from all the other pieces in that his value is not equal to his strength. At the start of the game—the opening, as well as in the middle game, this is a weak piece that has to be safeguarded in all possible ways, but in the end, when there is no danger of being mated by the few pieces re-maining on the board, the King's strength in-creases sharply between that of a minor piece and a Rook.
These appraisals are a result of the experience gained by generations of chess players. But they should not be treated as absolute rules that hold true always and under all circumstances. Expe-rienced players know that not a single piece or Pawn has a constant value. Their value changes depending on the position (see Diagram 42).
Diagram 42
Here Black has ail overwhelming superiority in forces: a Queen versus a Bishop. White, how-ever, is in no hurry to lay down his weapons.
1. Bc7!
Threatening 2. B g 3 + + . 1. ... Qf2
Black loses in the case of 1. ... g4 because then follows 2. B d 8 + + and in the case of 1. ... Qel 2. g 3 + + .
2. Bd6!
Waiting move. That is the term used for a
move marking time in order to hand over the move to the opponent. Now Black finds himself in zugzwang, i.e., a situation in which any move leads to the disadvantage of the player whose turn it is to move. Indeed, Black's Queen cannot leave the f2 square, otherwise there will follow 3. g 3 + + or B g 3 + + . Neither can Black's Pawn on g5 move because of 3. B e 7 + + .
2. ... Q f 4 +
The Queen has to be sacrificed to achieve, after 3. Bxf4 gxf4, at least a draw, but ...
3. g2-g3+! Qxg3 4. B x g 3 + + .
Thus, in the position in Diagram 42 the un-happy situation of Black's King makes the Queen weaker than the Bishop. This example is not in-tended to shake your faith in the comparative values of chessmen set forth above. They are correct and you can boldly depend on them in play. But rules have their exceptions. While gradually perfecting your play you will learn to see the special features of every position more clearly, evaluate the strength of the pieces and Pawns with greater finesse, and discover remark-able exceptions like the one just cited.
ADDITIONAL RULES
If a player whose turn it is to move touches one of his chessmen he is obliged to move it,
and if he touches an opposing piece of Pawn he must capture it. This does not apply, of course, to a chessman that cannot move or the oppon-ent's one that cannot be captured.
An opponent touching simultaneously his own and the opponent's chessman is to take the latter (by the piece he touched, and if that is im-possible, then by any other piece), and if accord-ing to the rules that is impossible, then he has to make a move with his piece he touched.
On wishing to adjust one or more pieces on his squares, the player whose turn it is to move has to notify his opponent. (It is customary to use the expression "I adjust"). The adjustment can be made only in the presence of his oppon-ent, and if the latter has left the table, then in the presence of the umpire.
A move is considered finished when the player has put the piece or Pawn on a new square and removed his hand from it. As long as the player keeps his hand on the chessman he can make any move with it.
A player may suggest a draw only after com-pleting a move. The opponent may accept the draw or refuse it either by saying so or by making his next move. A player may repeat the offer of a draw only after his opponent, in turn, has made use of his right to suggest a draw.
It is not obligatory to declare check or mate verbally.
Now you should be sufficiently acquainted with the rules to play your first game. Sit down at the table, decide, by drawing lots, who is to have the white and who the black chessmen, and Make Your First Move! But you still have a lot to learn about the game. Combine playing chess with a study of the following chapters.
II. THE SIMPLEST ENDINGS
THREE STAGES IN CHESS PLAY
The play in chess is divided into three stages: the opening, the middle game and the endgame.
In the opening mate is possible only as a re-sult of a crude blunder and is very rare in the practice of strong players. After the opponents mobilise their forces in the opening, play usu-ally enters the middle game stage, where the main aim is to mate the opponent or, having achieved an overwhelming advantage, compel him to resign. Quite often, however, one fails to mate the opposing King in the middle game, when there are many pieces on the board. When few chessmen remain on the board after exchan-ges the endgame stage arises. Here the main aim is not to mate the opponent, for neither of the sides usually has enough forces for this, but to promote Pawns. After that it is not so difficult to achieve mate.
In this chapter we will look at some of the simplest endgames. The beginner should first learn to play endings where the stronger side has a big material advantage and the opponent only a King.
MATING A LONE KING Queen Mates
When one side has only the King and the other side only the King and Queen the latter side can mate only on the edge of the board, to which he pushes the King by the coordinated actions of his King and Queen. Here are two typical
Diagram 44
In both cases the Kings face each other with one square between them on the rank or file. Such a position of the Kings is called opposition. In one case (Diagram 43) it is a vertical opposi-tion, and in the other (Diagram 44), a
horizon-tal opposition. In opposition White's King is
in a more favourable situation, depriving Black's King of three squares. In the case of a vertical or horizontal opposition no less than six differ-ent mating positions can be created (in Diagram 43 the Queen can stand also on the a8, b8, f8, g8, d7, and in Diagram 44 on a2, a6, a7, a8, b4 squares).
The Queen can also achieve mate by making use of diagonal opposition.
positions of this kind:
Diagram 43
Diagram 91
In this case, however, White's King deprives the opposing King of only one square, and White must drive Black's King into a corner in order to win.
No matter what the position is, mate is achiev-ed by the Queen within 9 moves. In such endings superfluous checks should be avoided. Most fre-quently it is a useless waste of time and atten-tion should be paid to avoiding an accidental stalemate.
Diagram 46
1. Kg7 (approaching Black's King to push him out of the centre) 1. ... Kd4 (Black strives to keep his King as long as possible in the
tre, where it is impossible to be mated) 2. Kf6 Ke4 3. Qd8 (depriving the Black King of half the board) 3. ... Kf4 4. Qd3 Kg4 5. Qe3 Kh4. (The aim is achieved: Black's King is pushed back to the edge of the board. Note that this was done without a single check.) 6. Kf5 (but not 6. Qf3? stalemate!) 6. ... Kh5 7. Qh3(g5) + + .
Black could have played differently but by using the same methods White can always push the Black King to the edge of the board.
Exercise.
White starts and mates in two moves.
Diagram 47
Mate by Two Rooks
In the ending where the King and Queen op-posed the King, mate was achieved with the aid of the King. Here, however, two Rooks, without the help of the King, push the opposing King to the edge of the board and mate him.
1. Rh3 (the third rank is cut oS to Black's King) 1. ... Kf4 2. R a 4 + Kg5 3. Rh4 Kf5 (or 3. ... Kg6 4. Ra5!) 4. R h 5 + Kg6 5. Ra5 Kf6 6. R a 6 + Kg7 7. Rh6 Kf7 8. R a 7 + Kg8 9. Rh7 Kf8 10. R h 8 + + .
Diagram 91
This method is the simplest and easily re-membered. However, mate can be achieved fast-er by pushing back Black's King in anothfast-er direction and putting White's King into action: 1. Rh5 Kf4 2. R a 4 + Kg3 3. Ke2! Kg2 4. Rg4 + + .
Mate by Rook
Mate by the Rook is also achieved only on the edge of the board.
Diagram 49 Diagram 50
The methods of pushing the lone King to the edge of the board is the same as in the case of mating with the Queen, but since the Rook is weaker than the Queen, and the King can at-tack it along the diagonal, more time is required. However, no matter what the position is, the Rook can achieve mate within 16 moves. Let us consider a typical example.
Diagram 51
1. Re8 (cutting off half 'of the board) 1. ... Kd5 2. Kg2 Kd4 3. Kf3 Kd5 4. Ke3 (pushing back Black's King from the centre) 4. ... Kc4 5. Re5 (restricting the King's mobility even more) 5. ... Kc3 6. R c 5 + ! (when the Kings are in opposition such a Rook check from the side is especially effective: Black's King is now pushed farther back to the edge of the board) 6. ... Kb4 7. Kd4 Kb3 8. Rc4 Kb2 9. Rc3 K b l 10. Kd3 (bringing the King nearer to create a mating situation) 10. ... Kb2 11. Kd2 K b l 12. R b 3 + Kal 13. Kc2 Ka2 14. Rh3! (a waiting move. Black is in zugzwang) 14. ... Kal 15. R a 3 + - K
Exercise (see Diagram 52).
White to play and mate in three moves.
Diagram 91
Mate by Two Bishops
Two Bishops can declare mate by pushing the King into a corner.
Diagram 53 Diagram 54
By their concerted actions White's King and Bishops on joint diagonals create a barrier which Black's King cannot cope with.
1. Kf2 Kd4 2 . Bd2 Ke4 3. Bo3 Kd5 4. Kf3
Ko5 5. Bd3 Kd5 6. Kf4 Ke6 7. Be4 Kd6 8. Kf5 Kc7 9. Bf4 Kd7 10. Kf6 Ke8 11. Bf5 Kd8 12. Be6
Diagram 55
(Black's King finds himself on the last rank. Now White has to push him into the corner. However, the move 12. Kf7? is tabu because of stalemate) 12. ... Ke8 13. Bc7! Kf8 14. Bd7 Kg8 15. Kg6 (the King should not be allowed to get out of the last rank) 15. ... Kf8 16. B d 6 + Kg8 17. B e 6 + Kh8 18. B e 5 + + .
Diagram 56
Exercise.
White to play and mate in three moves.
4.4 •i-Qin
Mate by Bishop and Knight
Mate by Bishop and Knight is possible only in the corners which the Bishop can attack.
Diagram 57 Diagram 58
This ending is considerably more difficult than all the preceding ones. Achieving mate by Bishop and Knight without violating the 50-move rule calls for the most precise play. According to the theory of endings this can be done from the most unfavourable initial position of the pieces within 36 moves.
Since this ending is rarely met in practice we shall examine only one example: in which Black's King stands in the corner the Bishop cannot reach. White's job is to chase him to the corner of the same colour as the squares along which the Bishop moves (a8).
1. N f 7 + Kg8 2. Kf6 Kf8 3. Bh7 Ke8 4. Ne5! Kf8 (the King tries to keep away from the a8 square. In case of 4. ... Kd8, there follows 5. Ke6 Kc7 6. Nd7! Kc6 7. Bd3! Kc7 8. Be4, etc.) 5. N d 7 + Ke8 6. Ke6 Kd8 7. Kd6 Ke8 8. B g 6 + Kd8 9. Nc5 Kc8 10. Bf7 (waiting move) 10. ...
Diagram 91
Kd8 11. N b 7 + Kc8 12. Kc6 Kb8 13. Be6 Ka7 14. Nc5 Ka8 15. Kb6 Kb8 16. N a 6 + Ka8 17. Bd5 + + .
Mate by Two Knights
Such a mate is impossible if the opponent de-fends himself properly.
Diagram 60
White achieves the maximum by pushing the King not only to the edge of the board but also almost to the corner. If now 1. ... Kh8?? then White declares mate: 2. Nf7-f + • After the
rect reply, however, i.e., 1. ... Kf8!, the King breaks away to freedom, leaving White no win-ning chances.
King and Bishop (or Knight) Versus King
The King plus a minor piece cannot mate a lone King. In such endings continuation of play is senseless and the game ends in a draw.
Diagram 61
As an exception to the rule, here is a curious finale in which a lone Knight mates Black's King. This is because Black's Pawn prevents the King's escape from the trap.
White wins by continuing 1. Ng4-f- Khl 2. K f l ! h2 3. N f 2 + + .
King and Pawn Versus King
The capture of a Pawn in the middle game by no means ensures victory. But it is otherwise in the ending, where an extra Pawn is an impor-tant advantage. Frequently the player who wins a Pawn gradually exchanges all the pieces and
transfers the play into a Pawn ending, in which the advantage of one Pawn is usually sufficient to win the game. The play quite often boils down to King and Pawn against a lone King. Let us take a look at some diSerent types of such endgames.
1. The opposing King is driven away and the Pawn queens all by itself.
If you want to know whether Black's King can catch up with the Pawn you do not have to count the moves. There is a special method for that, the rule of the quadrate. The King stops the Pawn if it is within a quadrate whose side is equal in length from the square on which the Pawn stands (b3) to the square of the Pawn's promotion (b8).
Diagram 62
The quadrate formed by the Pawn on b3 is indicated in Diagram 62 by dotted lines (during play it can be easily imagined). If in this exam-ple it is Black's move then, by playing 1. ... Kg6 (as also 1. ... Kg7 or 1. ... Kg8), Black enters the quadrate and easily captures the Pawn.
With White to move, after 1. b4 a new quad-rate is formed, as is shown by the dotted line.
N o w B l a c k ' s K i n g is no longer capable of en-tering this quadrate on his m o v e and, hence, cannot catch up with the P a w n . It should be borne in m i n d that the P a w n can m o v e two squares ahead from its initial position. This should be taken into consideration in applying the rule of the quadrate.
2. The opposing K i n g is too near for the Pawn to be able to queen b y its own efforts.
The opposition of K i n g s has an important bearing on the o u t c o m e of such endings.
Diagram 63
In the situation shown in Diagram 63 the re-sult of the game depends on whose m o v e it is. If it is B l a c k ' s turn to m o v e he is forced to aban-don the o p p o s i t i o n : 1. ... K e 8 , and after 2. e7 K f 7 3. K d 7 W h i t e queens and wins. If, however, it is W h i t e ' s m o v e , he is c o m p e l l e d to pull back his K i n g , losing the opposition, or to play 1. e7 Ke8 2. K e 6 and stalemate. Thus, if it is W h i t e ' s m o v e the result is a draw, and if it is B l a c k ' s m o v e then W h i t e wins. This is a typical e x a m -ple of mutual zugzwang, in which it is disadvan-tageous for either side to m o v e fir<t.
N o w let us examine a case when the Pawn is farther away from the last. rank.
Diagram 91
In this position Black achieves a draw by o c c u p y i n g the o p p o s i t i o n all the time: 1. d4 + K d 5 2. K d 3 K d 6 ! (Attention should be paid to this m o v e . Black retreats in such a way as to be in opposition no matter where W h i t e ' s K i n g goes.) 3. Ke4 Ke6! 4. d 5 4 - K d 6 ! 5. K d 4 K d 7 ! 6. K c 5 K c 7 ! 7. d 6 + K d 7 8. K d 5 K d 8 ! 9. Kefi K e 8 ! 10. d 7 + K d 8 . A draw.
E m p l o y i n g the same tactics, the weaker side easily achieves a draw in the f o l l o w i n g positions as well, irrespective of whose m o v e it is.
Diagram, 67 Diagram 68
The following conclusion may be drawn: if the King of the stronger side is behind the Pawn or next to it, while the King of the weaker side is in front of the Pawn, not letting the opposing King through, the game ends in a draw.
3. The King stands in front of the Pawn. If the King of the stronger side can pass ahead so as to pull the Pawn along behind him-self the win comes quite easily as a rule.
White wins (Dia. 69) by pushing his King for-ward: 1. Ke3! (but not 1. £4? Kf7 2. Ke3 Kf6 3.
K e 4 Ke6 with a draw) 1. ... Ke7 2. Ke4 Ke6 3. K f 4 K f 6 4. f3! (This i m p o r t a n t reserve m o v e that W h i t e has at his disposal c o m p e l s Black to g i v e up the opposition) 4. ... K g 6 5. K e 5 K f 7 6. K f 5 (again n o t f 4 ? because o f 6. . . . K e 7 ! 7. K f 5 K f 7 ) 6. ... Ke7 7. K g 6 ! K f 8 (or 7. ... Ke6 8. f4 K e 7 9. f5 K f 8 10. K f 6 ! K g 8 11. K e 7 , and W h i t e wins) 8. K f 6 K g 8 9. f4 Kf8 10. f5 K e 8 11. K g 7 K e 7 12. f 6 + , and White queens.
Diagram 70 Diagram 71
In the position in D i a g r a m 70 W h i t e ' s K i n g stands in front of the P a w n on the sixth rank. W h i t e wins irrespective of whose m o v e it is. B l a c k is c o m p e l l e d to cede the opposition if it is his m o v e , for instance, 1. ... K d 8 2. K b 7 , and W h i t e wins.
W i t h WThite to m o v e the play proceeds thus:
1. K d 6 K d 8 2. c6 K c 8 3. c7 K b 7 4. K d 7 , and on the f o l l o w i n g m o v e W h i t e queens.
In the position in Diagram 71 the o u t c o m e de-pends on whose m o v e it is. If it is B l a c k ' s he has to retreat, losing tlie o p p o s i t i o n : 1. ... K g 7 2. Ke6 K f 8 3. K f 6 ! , and W h i t e wins. If it is W h i t e ' s m o v e the game ends in a draw: 1. K e 5 Ke7 2. f5 K f 7 , etc.
All the above applies to Pawns on any file except those on the edges. In the case of a R - P a w n the K i n g of the weaker side only has to reach the corner square to achieve a draw. It is easy to see that the stronger side cannot push the K i n g out of the corner, while the ad-vance of the R-Pawn up to the seventh rank leads only to a stalemate.
Diagram 72 Diagram 73
J:
In both positions (Diagram 72 and Diagram 73) the result is a draw. The advance of the Pawn leads to a stalemate. For instance, in Diagram 72 after 1. Ka6 K b 8 2. K b 6 K a 8 3. a5 K b 8 4. a6 K a 8 5. a7 —and stalemate. In Diagram 73 after 1. K h 8 Kf8 Black does not let out W h i t e ' s King, repeating the moves, while the advance of the Pawn to h7 results in a stalemate.
CONCLUSIONS
Victory is achieved in the following instances: a) the opposing King is far away, so that the Pawn itself queens (Diagram 62); b) the King of the stronger side occupies a square on the sixth rank, ahead of the Pawn (Diagram 70);
c) the K i n g of the stronger side, with the o p -p o n e n t ' s turn to m o v e , stands in front of the Pawn and is in o p p o s i t i o n (Diagram 71).
A draw occurs in the f o l l o w i n g cases: a) when there is a R - P a w n , if the K i n g of the weaker side gets into a corner square or locks the K i n g of the stronger side in a corner (Diagrams 72 and 73); b) the K i n g of the weaker side stands on the square in front of the P a w n and does not let the o p p o s i n g K i n g pass (Diagrams 65 to 68); c) the K i n g of the stronger side, w i t h W h i t e ' s turn to m o v e , stands in front of the Pawn, but the o p p o s i t i o n is maintained b y the opponent and there is no alternative m o v e for the P a w n (Diagram 71).
In Diagram 74 there are no opposing P a w n s in the path of the P a w n s on e5 and h4 that could prevent their a d v a n c e m e n t . In this case the Pawns on e5 and h4 are called passed Pawns. T h o u g h there is material e q u a l i t y on the board and each side has a passed P a w n B l a c k ' s position is a lost one since W h i t e has a remote passed
A REMOTE PASSED PAWN
Pawn on h4. That is what a passed Pawn stand-ing far from the main mass of Pawns (here from the Pawns of the Q-side), is called.
The game proceeds thus: 1. h5 Kf6 2. h6 Kg6 (otherwise the Pawn will queen) 3. Kxe5 Kxh6 4. Kd5 Kg5 5. Kc5 Kf5 6. Kb6 Ke5 7. Kxa6 Kd6 8. Kb7, and White wins by queening the Pawn on a8.
The remote Pawn attracted the attention of Black's King. Taking advantage of that, White's King smashed the opponent on the other flank. Innumerable endings have been won by this standard method.
Diagram 75
Exercise.
In the attempt to transfer the play into a Pawn ending with an extra Pawn Black goes 1. ... N c 6 + . What is your opinion of this move?
POSITIONAL ADVANTAGE
In the examples given in the Diagrams 74 and 75 White emerges victorious thanks to its
re-mote passed Pawn. Such a Pawn is quite a weighty advantage. It enables one to achieve victory in the endgame when there is material equality (Diagram 74) or when the opposing side has superior forces (Diagram 75). Here we encoun-ter another kind of advantage, positional
advan-tage, i.e., a better distribution of pieces and
Pawns.
We have already seen examples of positional advantage. In the position in Diagram 42 White's better distribution of pieces and Pawns brings victory despite Black's tremendous material ad-vantage. A characteristic example of efforts to gain positional advantage is the struggle for opposition (i.e., for a better position for one's King) in endings where King and Pawn oppose the King.
Like material advantage, positional advantage may be of different degrees—small, considerable, overwhelming, etc. This is a very important factor in chess, and we will pay much attention to it further on.
III. SOME BASIC CONCEPTS
THE PIN
The pin is one of the most effective methods of restricting the mobility oi your opponent's pieces. Diagram 76 Diagram 77
2
to* k • u. rp&j- . S., J|[.k
k\
£ &
In Diagram 76, after 1. ... c3, Black wins the Bishop, and with it the game. The move 2. Bxc3 is impossible since the Bishop is covering up White's King from the Black Rook's attack. In Diagram 77 White mates in two moves:
1. QxMH- Kg8 2. Qxg7-f + . The Pawn on g7 cann.it capture White's Queen because it pro-tects Black's King from the attack of the Bi-shop.
In both cases victory is attained thanks to a pin. Th« term pin is used for an attack by any • lie- -in,in (with the exception of the Knight) on a Pawn or piece shielding the King or another piece more valuable than itself. In the examples gi\en here ilie pinning pieces were ibe Rook and Bishop, and the pinned were the Bishop on b2 and Pawn on g7. If a pinned Pawn or piece protects the King, it becomes almost en-tirely immovable (it can move only along the line of attack). This is called a full pin.
Diagram 78
j r -
a . * .
\t - 1 fi ; t\
^ a & & &j
In the position shown in Diagram 78 Black has an extra Bishop and turn to move, but his situation is entirely hopeless due to the pin along the e-file. He does not have any satis-factory defence against the threatening move 2. dxe7, followed by the loss of the Rook and mate.
Note what a powerful influence White's Rook on el exerts on Black's position. This is because there are no Pawns on the e-fiie. A file that is free of Pawns is called an open line. White's Rook is in possession of the open line. Whoever holds an open line has an important positional advantage.
Diagram 157 Diagram 158
In the position in Diagram 79 from a game between Alekhine and Nimzovitch in San Remo in 1930 Black's Knight on c6 is doubly pinned: along the open c-file (it protects the Rook on c7 against White's trebled major pieces and along the diagonal a4-e8 (protecting the Queen). There follows 1. Ba4! (threatening to deliver a mortal blow with the Pawn at the pinned—a typical pinning manoeuvre we already know from Diagram 77) 1. ... b5 (to protect the Rook by placing the King on d8) 2. Bxb5 Ke8 3. Ba4 Kd8 4. h4H Black resigns. Alekhine said: "After several insignificant Pawn moves, Black is com-pelled to place the Queen on e8, and then the move b5 wins a piece."
If the King does not stand behind a pinned piece (or Pawn) such a pin is considered to be
incomplete. You can sometimes get rid of an
incomplete pin, or become unpinned, with the aid of a check or a sacrifice. For instance, after the moves 1. d i do 2 . «4 (this opening is called
Queen s Gambit) 2 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5
Nd7 5, cxd5 ex<J5 : lie d5 Pawn cannot be taken bv reiving on the Pin. The move 6. Nxd5? is followed by 6. . . . Xx<15! 7. Bxd8 B b 4 + 8. Qd2
B.*d2+ 9.
piece. Kxd2 Kxd8, and Black has an extra
Diagram 80
Exercise.
In this position there follows: 1. Bxc6+Kf8.
Explain:
a) why Black does not take the Bishop b) how White wins.
The term discovered attack is used to describe a move by a piece (or Pawn) that opens the way for a blow to be delivered by another piece, which stands in ambush as it were, behind the chess-men making the move. We have already come across this in Diagram 20.
If the receding piece or Pawn also joins in the assault the discovered attack becomes a double attack.
This position in Diagram 81 comes from a game between Vasyukov and Kholmov played in Moscow in 1965. 1. Nxc5! (compelling
DISCOVERED ATTACK
Diagram 157 Diagram 158
Black's Queen to occupy a square where it lacks protection) 1. . . . Qxc5 2. Bxg7!! Bxg7 3. Qh5 h6 (protecting himself against mate on h7) 4. Bh7-+-! (retreating with a check, the Bishop lays bare White's Queen, which delivers a blow along the rank) 4. ... Kxh7 5. Qxc5, and White wins.
Diagram 82
The position in Diagram 82 arose in the Capa-blanca-Alekhine world championship match in Buenos Aires in 1927. White played 1. R d l , counting on winning back the pinned piece on the next move, but after 1. ... Nxe3! he was
compelled to resign. Both the Queen and the Rook are under attack, and in the case of 2. Qxd5 Rxd5 3. fxe3 the issue is settled by one more discovered attack, 3. ... Bxe3 + , winning the Rook.
Diagram. 83
Exercise.
It is Black's move. In what way can he acquire material advantage through a Queen sacrifice and a discovered attack?
DISCOVERED CHECK
The discovered check is a particular case of a discovered attack: the piece making the move opens up the line of action for another piece to attack the King. A discovered check is very dangerous since the departing piece, being in-vulnerable, can capture any opposing piece or Pawn in its path, including strong pieces.
In Diagram 84 Black has an extra Queen and the exchange, but White skilfully employs a discovered check and wins: 1. N x e 8 + ! (but not 1. Nf5? Qe5!, and Black wins) 1. ... Kg8 2. Nf6-f (compelling Black's King to fall prey
to another discovered check) 2. ... Kh8 3. Ng4-+-! Qe5 (but not 3. ... Kg8 4. N h 6 + f or 3. ... Rg7? 4. Rf8 + + , taking advantage of the pinned Rook) 4. B x e 5 + Rxe5 5. Nxe5, and White wins.
Many a game has been lost because of a dis-covered check after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Ni'6 (this opening is called Poircff's Defence) 3. Nxe5 Nxe4? (quite a natural but mistaken move. It is better to play 3. ... d6! 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Qe2 Qe7 6. d3 Nf6) 4. Qe2! Nf6?? (the lesser of two evils would be 4. ... Qe7 5. Qxe4 d6 6. d4, and BJack loses only a Pawn) 5. Nc6 M (dis-covered check! Black loses the Queen).
DOUBLE CHECK
The double check is a variety of the discovered check. Here both the piece lying in ambush and the piece that moves declare check simul-taneously. Quite naturally, the double check is an even more powerful weapon against which it is impossible to shield oneself. The King must retreat. And if that is impossible, as in the fol-lowing example, the King is mated.
Diagram
157 Diagram 158
While, having I in- move, mates with the aid of a double check: t. Nc-7-f 4 ! (but not 1. Nb<> + ? because of Ka7). If i! is Black's move, he can declare a double check with advantage: 1. ... Bxf3 2. Kgl Bxo/i!, etc.
Note that., though Black's move 1, ... Bxf3-|-places both of his pieces under attack, White, cannot capture either of I hem and has to pull back his King.
This motif was employed i.n I lie famed
Heii-Tartakover game (Vienna, UMO). 1 lore is how the Soviet Grandmaster David Bronstein ap-plied the double check in a simultaneous exhi bit ion. Bronstein versus Amateur (1950): 1. cA e5 2. d'i exd'f 3. Q x d i Nc.0 4. Q a i Nff) 5. Nc3 d5 G. Bgf> rixe i 7. .V.ve4 Qe7? X. 0-0-0 Qxe t 9. Rd8-j-KxdS 10. Qxe i. Black resigns.
Exercise (see Diagram 86). Find the best continuation:
•j) wiicn it is W h i t e ' s move h) when it is Black'-; move.
Diagram 157 Diagram 158
VARIATION. COMBINATION
The term variation, which signifies a series of logically interconnected moves, is frequently used in chess literature. VVe have already come across it repeatedly in considering examples cited above.
Chess players also often employ such words as "to force" and "forced"; they talk of a "forced win", "forced variation", etc. Here "forced" means "compulsory". In Dia. 37 White compels Black to accept all the sacrifices and forces a draw-by stalemate, in Dia. 40 a draw is forced draw-by perpetual check, while in Dia. 42 a forced win is achieved by subtle Bishop manoeuvres. Forced
variation is the term used for a chain of compelled
moves. Whenever such a variation is played neither side can avoid it at any time, for to play other-wise threatens defeat or a clearly worsening po-sition.
A special place among the forced variations is held by the combination. A combination is a forced variation through which a player achieves an advantage: he wins material, improves his position, brings about a draw, or mates his
opponent. In a number of examples cited in this chapter combinations of different kinds were carried out. In some cases they helped to achieve mate (Diagrams 80, 86), and in others to win material (Diagrams 81-84). Various tactical meth-ods were employed in carrying out the combina-tions: the pin, a double blow, discovered attack, and double check. Using these methods try to work out combinations in the following assign-ments (everywhere, with the exception of Dia-gram 90, it is White's move).
Diagram 87
Employing a discovered attack and double blow, White wins a piece.
Diagram 88
Employing a double check, White mates with the assistance of the Rook on hi.
Diagram 89 I
k k k k
A
k k
S & A ! # M $ Sacrificing the Queen, White declares a dou-ble check and mate.Diagram 90 & i v - i 1 ; 1 i i Ony 1 ' & " 4 > : fi • £ ' a -! 6 " - A A £
&
! l tTaking advantage of the p in along the open e-file, Black delivers a decisive double blow on the Queen's flank.
IV. HOW TO START A GAME
In the opening moves of a game both players mobilise their forces for the coming battle. To do this successfully and to ensure harmonious cooperation among your pieces and Pawns you must follow the three main principles of open-ing play. These are:
1) strive to gain possession of the centre; 2) develop (mobilise) your pieces as quickly as possible;
3) deploy your Pawns efficiently.
Let us examine these principles separately. THE CENTRE
The centre of the chessboard is important be-cause, as already stated, a piece standing there controls a maximum number of squares and can act effectively in all directions. On the con-trary, the farther a piece is from the centre the weaker it becomes. When standing in the centre of the board the Queen can keep under attack 27 squares as compared to 21 squares when it stands in a corner; the Bishop, correspondingly, 13 and 7, the Knight 8 and 2. Also, a piece can be easier and faster transferred from the centre to any flank.
The centre is a sort of a commanding height dominating the chessboard. The side that holds the centre has a decisive advantage.
-Diagram 157 Diagram 158
The position in Diagram 91 is from the So-kolsky-Koblenz game (Kiev, 1944). White do-minates the centre. After 1. Qf5! (transferring the Queen to the King's flank) Black resigns. Indeed, in the case of 1. ... 0-0 there follows 2. Bxh6. The sacrifice cannot be accepted: 2. ... gxh6 3. Be4, and mate is inevitable. There is no salvation in 3. ... Re8 4. Qh7-f Kf8 5. Q h 8 + - K Simultaneously there threatens 3. Qg6! But Black cannot capture the Queen because the Pawn on f7 is pinned. It is bad to play 1. ... Rf8 2. Qh7 g5 3. Ne4, and if, for instance, 3. ... Qc8, then after 4. Bxc6 Bxc6 5. N d 6 + ! cxd6 6. exd6 there arises the already familiar hopeless situation for Black shown on Diagram 78.
Capture of the centre by Pawns, in other words, the creation of a Pawn centre is of special impor-tance. The two sides fight for possession of the centre by attacking the central squares with their pieces and Pawns. The latter play a great role in this struggle. Indeed, any square attacked by a Pawn is closed to all the opposing pieces. The most effective way to attack the central squares is with Pawns. No wonder White's most common opening moves are 1. d4 or 1. e4 (to which Black replies with 1. ... d5 or 1. ... e5).
The following game convincingly illustrates the power of the Pawn centre.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 (2. Nc3 or 2. Bc4 is also pos-sible but the next move is more powerful: White attacks the opponent's stronghold in the centre — the Pawn on e5) 2. ... Nc6 (The best defence. Also good is 2. ... Nf6, counter-attacking the K-Pawn, as well as 2. ... d6. But 2. ... Bd6? is a gross mistake. This move, like Bd3 in anal-ogous cases on the part of White long delays mobilisation of the Queen's flank.) 3. Bc4 Bc5 (This opening can be met in books by Italian authors of the 16th and 17th centuries. Hence its Italian title Giuoco Piano, i.e., quiet game.) 4. c3 (White prepares the move d4 in order to seize the centre with the Q- and K-Pawns.) 4. ... Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb6? A serious mistake. The correct move is 6. ... Bb4 + , not giving White enough time to make use of the centre. For instance, 7. Bd2 B x d 2 + 8. Nbxd2 d5!, which is a typical method of struggle against a Pawn centre: its destruction with the aid of a Pawn. 9. exd5 Nxd5 and instead of the power-ful Pawn duet on d4 and e4 White has merely the isolated Pawn d4. That is, a Pawn without any Pawns of the same colour on the adjoining files, as a result of which it cannot be protected by another Pawn.
7. d5! Ne7 (It is bad to play 7. ... Na5 8. Bd3, with the threat 9. b4, winning the Knight.)
8. e5 Ne4 (Black threatens 9. ... Nxf2, simul-taneously attacking the Queen and the Rook.)
9. d6! (A powerful move paralysing Black's Q-side.)
9. ... cxd6 10. exd6 Nxf2 11. Qb3 Nxhl (The Pawn on d6 cramps Black to such an extent that even an extra Rook is of no avail.)
12. B x f 7 + Ivf8 13. Bg5. Black resigns. (There is no defence against 14. Bxe7 with the capture
